Philip Green firm hijacked for ID theft

Fraudsters have hijacked the identity of a firm owned by billionaire businessman Philip Green. Crooks changed the registered address of a property company the BHS boss runs with his mother to order goods on credit and run up bills under an assumed identity. The ruse takes advantage of a flaw in the Companies House registration scheme highlighted by The Register in February.

The offices of Green's company, Langley Road Investments, were moved from the offices of an accountancy firm to a flat on a council estate in Harrow last December, the Mail on Sundayreports. Its unclear how much crooks made through the scam, which only came to light last month after crooks attempted to swap the address back to its original location in a bid to avoid detection. Police are reportedly investigating the fraud.

Green - who has amassed a fortune estimated at £5bn through investments in retailing and other businesses - made an unsuccessful bid to take over Marks & Spencer last year.

Speaking about Langley Road Investments, a source close to Green told The Mail of Sunday: "There was a problem about six months ago with the address being changed. Philip is not involved in the company other than being a director." ®